Parks departure: Dan Muser, who steered the city parks department for...

Dan Muser's job may sound like a walk in the park, but it isn't always.

The man who has steered the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department for more than two decades calls his job -- which he's retiring from in March -- a double-edged sword.

That's because residents usually sing high praises about the city's 23 parks, 11 miles of hiking and biking trails, recreational centers, golf courses and, most recently, the new water park.

But, from some people, that praise only comes after.

After the money's found.

After the construction's over.

After the project has proved popular.

"People can tell me it's so great to have these ballparks, the playgrounds, the parks," Muser said. "But they're the same ones who told me before that they're a waste of money and that we don't need it."

Still, after 25 years with the city and 21 as director, Muser is leaving a job he has enjoyed and a parks system he is satisfied is better than he found it.

Muser has shepherded in many multi-million projects including the Osage Centre, the Shawnee Sports Complex, the Cape LaCroix Recreational Trail, the Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center and the new Shawnee Park Community Center, which is slated to open next month.

He also spearheaded the effort to get the park's department its own revenue stream in 2008, a half-cent parks and storm-water sales tax that funded $20 million in parks projects and improvements over the past three years.

While he knows it's the new projects that get the public excited, Muser is most proud of being able to provide good maintenance and upgrades to existing facilities, like the $1.5 million renovation of the Arena Building at Arena Park and the new fencing and lighting of the nearby ball fields.

"I take that seriously," he said. "Taking care of what you have is important. When I came here, that wasn't happening. The coaches were mowing the fields, that's how bad it was. We haven't added a whole lot to the parks system, honestly. But we're taking care of what we have and that's a pretty big deal."

Those who have worked closely with Muser describe him as an unassuming, quiet leader who has surrounded himself with quality employees and allows them to do their jobs.

Al Spradling was on the Cape Girardeau City Council for six years, mayor for eight years and before that he served on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. For all of that time, he worked with Muser.

"Dan was a guy who would give you ideas and support you, but he was not one who would come in and yell and scream and do things that other department heads might do," Spradling said. "He was very silent, but he was deadly when it came to knowing what he was doing."

Muser ran an efficient department as the number of personnel grew along with the budget, Spradling said. When Muser started, the budget was less than a million and there were 14 employees. Today, the budget has grown to more than $4 million annually and Muser oversees more than 50 full-time and 200 part-time employees.

"It's a huge undertaking when you realize all the sundry areas he has to supervise," Spradling said. "He worked hard for a guy that no one really knows, except those people who worked with him."

The staff who work under Muser have a tremendous amount of respect for him, said Danny Essner, the current parks board chairman.

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"The parks and rec staff is like a family," Essner said. "It's heart-warming because they like each other and he has a lot to do with that because he treats them with respect."

When Essner heard Muser was retiring, he told Muser he was going out in a blaze of glory. In the past three years since the parks tax passed, the department accomplished more in building and projects that it did in its history, Essner said.

"Dan had a lot to do with that," Essner said. "He led the charge of putting together a master plan. He knew we had to wait our turn and when our turn came, he seized it. He's been the leader. Every organization has to have a leader and he's been a good one. He's maintained a low profile and he's been one of these guys that get things done behind the scenes."

Former mayor Jay Knudtson, who also served previously on the parks board, said Muser's fingerprints are all over many parks improvements throughout the city. For years before the parks tax passed, Muser would present a list of needs to the council, which they had to reject because the money wasn't there, Knudtson said.

"To take over the reigns as mayor and see the projects on his wish list come to fruition was a thrill to me," Knudtson said. "He is really a guy who can look back on his years as a leader with great pride."

On March 11, Muser will step down. He admits he hasn't had as much time to enjoy the city's parks because of his schedule.

"I plan to rectify that," Muser said.